Atheists, how many times in ten years do you go to the third world and feed the poor?

Question

And yes I have gone. And no, we don't evangelize. We simply show the love of Christ and when asked, state G-d as the reason for our charity.

David

Answer 1

Religious people, how many times do you go to the third world and feed the poor?

Answer 2

Let me think. Does everyone have the money for plane tickets? Probably not. I am an atheist. I have spent hundreds of hours volunteering with organizations in my community. Over the years I have volunteered with soup kitchens, habitat for humanity, a counseling program for teens recovering from drug/alcohol addiction, mentoring programs for at risk youths, and I've been a volunteer reading tutor at an elementary school. I spend a lot of time helping others, I just don't happen to have the money I'd need to do what you're suggesting. I am a full time college student with a part time job. Atheists/agnostics don't typically meet together with hundreds of others. Churches can raise money, because they have lots of members. Most Christians who do those sorts of things don't pay for it all themselves, their church pays for it. Atheists don't have churches, so their activities are limited by their own individual budgets. Did that really never occur to you before you posted this arrogant and ridiculous question? Thus, most spend their time with local organizations. There are plenty of people in the U.S. who need help. You don't have to fly to the third world to find someone. And very rarely have I heard of Christians donating their time with no strings attached, in the manner which you suggest. There is typically ALWAYS evangelizing involved. Anyone else think that this guy isn't quite giving us the whole story in his bragging?

Answer 3

The real question is why did you actually do it. Did you do it because you genuinely wanted to help them (in which case bravo)? Did you do to assuage feelings of guilt for living in the world's richest nation? Was it to appeal to some higher power hoping for an award, in this life or next? Or was it just so you could say to everyone that you spent some time feeding the poor in the third world...

It is an integral part of the human nature that we do not do anything without some benefit to ourselves, be that benefit financial, emotional or spiritual.

But then again, I'm a well-informed cynic.

Answer 4

The question is a bit loaded, given the sheer amount of people that need help locally.

Who is to say that a person helping the poor in another third world country is more or less deserving than people who help here in the US?

Remember that the Bible states that one is not to judge others but righteously, and I seriously doubt anyone here on earth today is of that quality, including me.

Answer 5

Actually, about 25. It's my full time job.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that Christian charities tend to be the least efficient with money and many - though not all (Red Cross is an exception) really push to proselytize as "payment" for services rendered.

And don't forget that the world's two largest charitable donors are both atheists - Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

Answer 6

You can help poor people in your own city, there's a lot of homeless people on the streets all over America, you can also find poverty in America, let's not be cynical, the third world is not the only place in the world to go to feed the poor.
It's amazing how some people can't smell their own shi* on their knees...

Answer 7

David david david...

I have to say I haven't gone to any third world countries to feed the poor, and yes I'm an Atheist... and I'm broke. So if you're so high on yourself that you have to post your "good deeds" on yahoo answers, why don't you send me some of your charity. And what's great is I won't ask you why you're giving me food, so you can tell me it's because of god or whatever crazy sht and I'll eat it just as happily.

But it really is shameful that you think "charity" is doing something you think is good and selfless and then bragging about it and expecting others to do it and putting them down if they don't. Shameful. Congratulations.

Answer 8

So what you're doing here is bragging about your good works. Good on you, mate.

Some of us aren't in a position to go to the third world... we do good works here at home, in our native country, which are just as worthwhile and charitable as your traveling around the world and helping others. We all do what we can.

And btw, that has nothing to do with your god. I show the love and kindness of humanity, charity because it's the right thing to do, not because I have to show someone that someone else loves them.

Answer 9

Wow .... you are rich to be able to fly to the third world to feed the poor.

I normally convert the price of the air ticket to the Red Cross Society. It will provide more money to the poor then to the Commercial Airliners.

Try that sometime, this is real show of love and not because you want someone to convert to Christianity by giving a nickel and say "accept this nickel, it is from god, hence you will need to believe" ...... I gave money to them because I want them to have a better life and not a perverted method of preaching.

Answer 10

Why do you ask this of Atheists? I know many religious people who have never fed the poor in their own back yard, much less in a third world country. What is your point?